"Beyond Green": Builder of Florida's First LEED Platinum, Zero-Energy Home to Share Science & Insight at Free Educational Seminar

April 11th, 2008

Julius Poston, responsible for creating the first LEED Platinum level, zero-energy home in Florida, will share his knowledge and philosophy on the science and benefits of energy efficient, sustainable housing along with a panel of experts at a free educational seminar later this month. The LEED Platinum designation is regarded as the single highest credential in the green building industry.

"Beyond Green: High Performance Living" will be held Thursday, April 24 from 7-9 p.m. at the University of North Florida Student Center. Admission is free, but seating is limited. Reservations are necessary.

The panel on state-of-the-art, eco-friendly, green building practices includes Poston, the founder and president of StalwartBuilt Homes; Rob Hamby, president and founder of Phoenix Contracting Group, the northeast Florida StalwartBuilt Guild Builder; and David Reed, JEA Building Construction Specialist. Ed Bondi, an architect, partner and vice president with Renaissance Creative, will moderate the presentation.

"There"s a lot of information about building green in the marketplace. This is a chance for consumers to really understand the building science and technology that is delivered in the highest level of zero-energy home", said Poston. Attendees will also learn about the advantages of systems-built homes; what LEED certification means and how it differs from Energy Star and other green building programs; and the economic benefits of green construction, including the incentives and financing programs that support green home building.

StalwartBuilt Homes constructed the LEED Platinum; zero-energy home in a new single-family housing development in Panama City, Fla. Poston is now introducing his homes into the northeast Florida area. Features of the systems-built designs incorporate such elements as solar panels; a "desuperheater" providing free hot water; geothermal unit for heating and air; spray foam insulation; specially engineered Honeywell air filtration system; low-E windows; low VOC paint and interior finishes, including bamboo floors.

Seating is limited. Reservations can be made online at phoenixcontractinggroup.com/RSVP, or by calling Renaissance Creative at (904) 332-6536 ext. 201. Deadline is April 21st, 2008. The UNF Student Center is located at 12000 Alumni Drive, off Kernan Boulevard.

About LEED

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating SystemT is a feature-oriented rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of LEED green building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED category. LEED can be applied to all building types including new construction, commercial interiors, core & shell developments, existing buildings, homes, neighborhood developments, schools and retail facilities.